After a three-fight run in Muay Thai that saw him claim the lightweight Muay Thai crown to become a two-sport king, Regian “The Immortal” Eersel will soon return to action to defend his ONE Lightweight Kickboxing World Title.

On April 5, in the main event of ONE Fight Night 21 on Prime Video, the Surinames-Dutch sensation will take on undefeated Frenchman Alexis “Barboza” Nicolas, live in U.S. primetime at Bangkok’s historic Lumpinee Boxing Stadium.

Changes in training for Regian Eersel

Widely regarded among the planet’s top pound-for-pound strikers, Eersel comes into the bout riding an incredible 22-fight winning streak, set to defend his kickboxing gold for the fifth time.

While “The Immortal’s” foray into the world of Muay Thai certainly solidified his status as a multi-sport great, fans and pundits alike are naturally wondering how the 31-year-old will fare when he returns to kickboxing. Eersel admits that he’s had to make some changes to his training in preparation for Nicolas.

But he also says that the switch back to kickboxing and its 10-ounce gloves allows him to open up his combination striking even more. He explained: “Yeah, not a lot of adaptations, but a few. I can fight now from the closed guard because of the big gloves, and I can do more combinations.”

“I’m going to do more combinations because, in my opinion, with small gloves, if you do a long combination and your opponent counters it, then you’re gonna get punched. So these are like a few things that I need to adjust in my training.”

Confidence is still high

Ultimately, Eersel is loaded with confidence ahead of his clash with the powerful and talented French fighter. Because even though he knows that Nicolas – with his pristine 23-0 record and natural athletic gifts – presents a serious threat to his ONE Lightweight Kickboxing World Title, he is focusing entirely on himself and his own skills ahead of April 5.

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“The Immortal” detailed how his training hasn’t changed much for ONE Fight Night 21: “It’s the same guys that I spar with. They adapt their style a little but not that much. My trainers keep me sharp when we are having pad sessions, that’s the main thing. We don’t focus a lot on the opponent we have. We are focusing more on what I can do.”

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